Compare towns
Walden vs Bennington vs Cabot vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Walden | Bennington | Cabot | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,579 |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Cabot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,243±$354 about the VT average |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 22% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,639Highest 8% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 min 27% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.